Of Orcs and Men

 PC
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 214 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 103 out of 214
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 214
  3. Negative: 45 out of 214

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  1. johny5w
    Nov 23, 2012
    2
    I just got this game on the Steam sale, and even getting it half off I think I just threw away $20. After playing for 2 hours I doubt I will spend any more time with this game. First the good: the game seems to be a unique take on fantasy tropes (similar to Dragon Age) which was the thing that first interested me about it. Also, the graphics seem to be pretty well done and I encounteredI just got this game on the Steam sale, and even getting it half off I think I just threw away $20. After playing for 2 hours I doubt I will spend any more time with this game. First the good: the game seems to be a unique take on fantasy tropes (similar to Dragon Age) which was the thing that first interested me about it. Also, the graphics seem to be pretty well done and I encountered no graphical glitches in my time playing. Now the bad. I should have read some of the reviews more carefully, because then I would have known what to expect. Combat is just you choosing abilities and waiting for you character to execute them. I think the developers were going for sort of a rock paper scissor counter mechanic, but my experience so far is you could basically just randomly choose abilities and get the same results. Not only that, but when you pause to issue orders you can not issue movement orders, so it becomes almost impossible to avoid melee. After 1 or 2 battles this system is so extremely lackluster and boring, that I can't imagine how the good points of the game could counter balance the combat. If the combat had just been ok, or kind of bad, I think the good would make this worth playing; unfortunately the combat is AWFUL.

    One final note: I should have actually read the positive reviews first instead of just looking at the score, because most of them are just things like "I am just balancing the troll reviews." Well shame on you, because you basically are trolling people yourself. You make the score look much higher than it should have been. I certainly would have not wasted my money on this game had I realized that was why the score was higher (I will admit this was certainly my fault, but it is frustrating none the less).

    Bottom line: this game is wasted potential. It seems like it could have been great, but the combat is so bad it ruins it.    … Expand
  2. MontSta
    Jan 6, 2013
    7
    Great unique main storyline with side plots and quests that inter-twine. I will explain the game play for you to give you an idea.... At a battle scene, you select your character, out of Arkil (Big guy) or Styx (little guy) then, in kind of a slow motion sequence select which of the combatants you want to engage. You then select a myriad of different attacks that do straight up damageGreat unique main storyline with side plots and quests that inter-twine. I will explain the game play for you to give you an idea.... At a battle scene, you select your character, out of Arkil (Big guy) or Styx (little guy) then, in kind of a slow motion sequence select which of the combatants you want to engage. You then select a myriad of different attacks that do straight up damage or stun type effects on enemy. Then its back and forth changing player and attacking or defending depending on what strengths you have upgraded when you level up. Game play is a bit mechanical but once you get used to it, it flows pretty good. Wish there had of been more inventory items to find/buy and upgrade though. Well worth a look :)… Expand
  3. Klewer
    Jun 6, 2015
    7
    Interesting game this. Looks good and had a very good story line, which pulls you through and makes this a good play. However the acctual combat let's this down and becomes extremely boring quickly. Still worth it for the story.
  4. Northstorm
    Nov 12, 2013
    9
    If I had to describe this game I'd call it an epic B-movie, you know, where everyone is a bit inexperienced and the whole thing is running on a low budget, but despite all that, everyone is doing their best, and love doing it, and it just shows :)

    The story is great, a very good setting, pitching you on the other side of the usual fantasy world, the combat/game-play is passable, and the    If I had to describe this game I'd call it an epic B-movie, you know, where everyone is a bit inexperienced and the whole thing is running on a low budget, but despite all that, everyone is doing their best, and love doing it, and it just shows :)

    The story is great, a very good setting, pitching you on the other side of the usual fantasy world, the combat/game-play is passable, and the characters are fun and somewhat rounded out, there is however a bit too much swearing, and a lot of inconsistencies between the characters.

    But I will wholeheartedly recommend this game     … Expand
  5. Ralathar44
    Dec 31, 2014
    9
    Got this game on steam sale. It told a nice story from a interesting perspective, had fun combat, and was generally amusing throughout with it's Dialog. With a little more polish this game would have been a 10.

    The only real negative I have to say about the entire game is that I had to turn shadows down to low because they destroyed my performance on the first level. But honestly,    Got this game on steam sale. It told a nice story from a interesting perspective, had fun combat, and was generally amusing throughout with it's Dialog. With a little more polish this game would have been a 10.

    The only real negative I have to say about the entire game is that I had to turn shadows down to low because they destroyed my performance on the first level. But honestly, that's nothing.    … Expand
  6. Diswin
    Jan 8, 2013
    6
    Game is not even close to perfect, but it's worth to waste 7-10h to complete a story. "Strange" stealth system, pretty annoying resurection system (normal potions would be a way better), boring battles, dragged out absolutely linear dungeons in 1st half of a game. Still I like this game.
  7. greywolf00
    Feb 21, 2014
    8
    TL;DR Great story, meh mechanics

    Purely from a writing standpoint, this is one of the most overlooked gems in the RPG genre. If you love story driven RPGs, I highly suggest considering this game. Tons of games talk about "Mature Themes" but this one really hits that nail on the head, and not just from the adult language (which there's a lot of). It covers racism, greed, hatred,    TL;DR Great story, meh mechanics

    Purely from a writing standpoint, this is one of the most overlooked gems in the RPG genre. If you love story driven RPGs, I highly suggest considering this game. Tons of games talk about "Mature Themes" but this one really hits that nail on the head, and not just from the adult language (which there's a lot of). It covers racism, greed, hatred, violence, and betrayal. I felt both of the main characters were well written and it was interesting to see how their interactions with each other evolved as the story progressed.

    Now onto the actual game systems.

    The combat system isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's just like Game of Thrones, super slow mow where you can queue up 4 moves for each character. If you haven't played GoT, it's like KOTOR but without the actual pause. Difficulty of combat spikes a bit too and can be pretty hard when you don't get assassinations done before hand.

    The game is really linear and there's almost no exploration. There's a handful of side quests but, they need to be done right then and there. Maps are very railroady with minimal hallway detours to find an occasional goody.

    Each hero has 2 full trees and another tree split in half to work together/class specialty. It's by no means one of the most flexible systems in the genre but, it is far better than many others.

    Game also isn't a huge, 40+ hour epic. I would expect 10-25 hours depending on difficulty with combat.    … Expand
  8. Zonzai
    Dec 30, 2012
    6
    Story: 9 ---------------- Original and interesting but imperfectly implemented
    Visuals: 7 ------------- Good enough to for a last gen engine but doesn't go the extra mile
    Sound: 5 -------------- Decent music, mixed voice acting, some acceptable, some terrible, none great Controls: 3 ----------- Like it's Cousin Cyanide game Game of Thrones, they are clunky and boring Game Design: 4 ---    Story: 9 ---------------- Original and interesting but imperfectly implemented
    Visuals: 7 ------------- Good enough to for a last gen engine but doesn't go the extra mile
    Sound: 5 -------------- Decent music, mixed voice acting, some acceptable, some terrible, none great
    Controls: 3 ----------- Like it's Cousin Cyanide game Game of Thrones, they are clunky and boring
    Game Design: 4 --- RPG character development is decent but short linear levels hold it back
    Fun Factor: 6 -------- You will have to suffer through the game to enjoy a great story
    Overall: 6 ----------- Barely above average    … Expand
  9. gjp1981
    Dec 26, 2012
    5
    Looks great, and some great concepts (playing as the Orc rebels vs humans, a 2 character RPG system, a combination of stealth and combat). Completely let down by unimaginative level design, tedious and frustrating combat and lengthy cut-scenes. Not a bad game, but a big case of style over substance and a real missed opportunity.
  10. Brousitch
    Nov 15, 2015
    3
    You can review it like a movie or book. Passable unorthodox story with unique characters in graphically pleasing but boring medieval settings. As for the game, tactical combat ala Dragon Age, unresponsive AI and atrocious corridor level design is one of the worst combinations that was ever offered to RPG players. Deterrent example of a concept that doesn't work and never will.
  11. Spiralyguy
    Jan 3, 2013
    6
    This game is maybe worth a once through if you like Orcs. We're talking Warcraft 3 "orcs of honor" here, they're basically Klingons lol. The story isn't too bad, fairly typical, but not bad. However the combat in this game is frustrating as hell. Not enough control over the toons, and some very non-intuitive abilities. Also between the orc's enrage mechanic and the bad guys stuns,This game is maybe worth a once through if you like Orcs. We're talking Warcraft 3 "orcs of honor" here, they're basically Klingons lol. The story isn't too bad, fairly typical, but not bad. However the combat in this game is frustrating as hell. Not enough control over the toons, and some very non-intuitive abilities. Also between the orc's enrage mechanic and the bad guys stuns, you're often not in control of anything for significant periods of time. Some of the dialogue, especially the cussing in the intro, is pretty forced but does seem more natural as the game goes on. I played all the way through, after the intro I immediately felt, this game sucks. A few hours in it was starting to get better. About halfway through until near the end it just got worse, combat became more frustrating, it didn't seem like my toons were getting any stronger but the baddies were. Then toward the end, last 4ish levels you get some new powers and it's largely easy mode and more fun after that. I think this game would have felt better if you got those powers a bit earlier.… Expand
  12. Auberon
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    I find this game brilliant, the story just hit it for me, its original and moody. The combat and the overall system is surprisingly well-polished for a game of this budget. There only flaws I can find with this game is the ammount of untapped potential... this could have been on par with dragon age if there had been a longer story, more characters, and, I guess more money in the project. II find this game brilliant, the story just hit it for me, its original and moody. The combat and the overall system is surprisingly well-polished for a game of this budget. There only flaws I can find with this game is the ammount of untapped potential... this could have been on par with dragon age if there had been a longer story, more characters, and, I guess more money in the project. I absolutely love it and will follow cyanide studios closely in the future, and hope to god for a sequel.… Expand
  13. taygor
    Nov 2, 2012
    6
    Game is ok, it's got good graphics and was fun for awhile. However, I got board with the way the missions were set up. You essentially started at one end of a map and moved to the end through a pre-determined course, battling enemies of increasing difficulty until your 'Boss' fight at the end. Just lost interest in the same type of content.
  14. lucido
    Oct 28, 2012
    7
    When I first emerged into a sunlight valley, with the story of Orcen persecution by the hands of ambitious, yet cruel men as a backdrop, I knew I was in for a visual and emotive storyline worth sitting through. However, almost jarringly intertwined with the story was an uninteresting combat system and rather unfinished loot system.

    The clans of powerful orc warriors are in chaos after    When I first emerged into a sunlight valley, with the story of Orcen persecution by the hands of ambitious, yet cruel men as a backdrop, I knew I was in for a visual and emotive storyline worth sitting through. However, almost jarringly intertwined with the story was an uninteresting combat system and rather unfinished loot system.

    The clans of powerful orc warriors are in chaos after years of relentless assault by man. Many of your brethren lay enslaved, many more lay dead. In an effort aptly described as suicide, you are tasked with finding the emperor and killing him to delay potential alliances with the dwarves and elves.

    The backdrops for missions help convey the sense of desperation and hatred between the two races. Scared peasants cower at your large bulky stature, mercenaries attack without repent. You will be drawing blood in lavish towers, fighting in mines which have broken the will of many strong orcs, and sneaking around the brush on tropical islands. Although linear in their paths, the scenery more than makes up for the set direction.

    You    … Expand
  15. Ciraaxx
    Feb 8, 2013
    6
    This game definitely had a lot of potential, and I enjoyed all of the 12 hours I spent playing it!
    That said, it has barely any replay value, which hurts its score.

    If this was made as an open world game, with more gearing options, it would've had at least 2 more points from me!

    End Verdict: Nice try.
  16. zornsthorne
    Oct 13, 2012
    10
    I have seen a lot of trolling on many fronts because of the gameplay not being a hack and slash. The gameplay is like dragon age origins for anyone who is interested and plays as smoothly and balanced as it. Although word of warning due to only having the tank and rogue archetypes it is somewhat simplified, they have replaced the healer class with skills that gradually regenerate healthI have seen a lot of trolling on many fronts because of the gameplay not being a hack and slash. The gameplay is like dragon age origins for anyone who is interested and plays as smoothly and balanced as it. Although word of warning due to only having the tank and rogue archetypes it is somewhat simplified, they have replaced the healer class with skills that gradually regenerate health for several seconds. There has also been a lot of trolling due to the fact that the orcs are the heroes although anyone who has actually played the game will know that just because you play an orc and a goblin; this does not mean that all the orcs in the game are good and not all humans are evil. The storyline is simple and the maps are linear but I am having a blast playing the game and "HIGHLY" recommend it to anyone who enjoys old bioware rpg's, it may not have as much depth as them (not very many games do to be honest) but it will satisfy your taste buds. The game deserves an 8/9 out of 10 but I am giving it a 10 to do what I can to counter-act the massive negative trolling that has emerged on the user score.

    Just a follow note if you enjoy fantasy with a grungy dirty feel to it, for example Game of Throne then you should enjoy the feel of this game. It hasn't got everything but you can see focus have really put time and effort into making the game and the stats/gameplay are able to be manipulated enough to change how you play the characters for a second or third play through.    … Expand
  17. AllAroundGamer
    Dec 23, 2012
    6
    The Plot=Great, the Gameplay=Mediocre and confusing, there is a huge learning curve required. Really, I was disappointed at this game. I expected much more.
  18. Stirfry_McSteve
    Oct 11, 2012
    9
    I assume that the massive review bomb is because of the technical difficulties in downloading it from Steam in the first couple hours. But seriously, grow up, people. You don't even know what went wrong or whose the fault was, and you're doing something that could potentially cripple the sales of this game.

    Anyway, I got the game installed and running a couple hours ago, and so far it's    I assume that the massive review bomb is because of the technical difficulties in downloading it from Steam in the first couple hours. But seriously, grow up, people. You don't even know what went wrong or whose the fault was, and you're doing something that could potentially cripple the sales of this game.

    Anyway, I got the game installed and running a couple hours ago, and so far it's going pretty well. The main thing that drew me to the game in the first place was the setup: setting the story from the perspective of the Orcs, who are typically delegated to unambiguously evil enemy fodder roles. However, instead of doing the Fable or Overlord thing where you're just an evil bastard for the sake of amusement, the game portrays the Orcs and Goblins as the wronged party, being subjugated and massacred for purely racist reasons on the behalf of the humans.

    Combat so far reminds me of Dragon Age: Origins, allowing you to pause the game in combat to select targets and abilities, and the different gameplay and combat styles between the Orc and Goblin characters balance well and leave for good strategic depth. As you level up you can unlock and upgrade new abilities, and level-ups happen at a good pace so you're always getting new powers to play with. The story so far is well presented, the voice acting is mostly solid, especially in the case of the main character, although a lot of the swearing seems forced, like it had been thrown in just to warrant an M rating. It's not an issue, but it can be a little distracting. The visuals look great maxed out, and from footage I've seen of the console releases the game still looks good even when toned down a little. the art style is kind of generic fantasy fare, but that could just be part of the irony, to help emphasize the point that you're in a pretty dramatic departure from the standard fantasy 'humans=noble, orcs=evil' themes.

    Overall I'm enjoying the game a lot. Don't let the petulant children of the internet fool you, this is a solid game, and well worth checking out.    … Expand
  19. wasabi867
    Oct 12, 2012
    8
    Either the People who Rate it with 0, before the Game is barely Released, are 12 Years old, or they have a Massive Stick up their anal Ways.. I just don't get it.. As for the Game itself, its a solid Experience
  20. Teiji
    Nov 12, 2012
    8
    The game storyline is great, the gameplay is just as good. This game is well worth the 39.99 dollar price mark. Do not compare this to the greater titles of past years, lately critics have compared games to one another instead of subjective critics measuring the Game for what it is, a form of entertainment. Now a game has to have an open world to be a good game? This game is linear and itThe game storyline is great, the gameplay is just as good. This game is well worth the 39.99 dollar price mark. Do not compare this to the greater titles of past years, lately critics have compared games to one another instead of subjective critics measuring the Game for what it is, a form of entertainment. Now a game has to have an open world to be a good game? This game is linear and it needs to be linear to have the impact on the storyline the way it was meant. Overall I do not give this game best game of the year but I definitely put it on the Must-play games of the year.… Expand
  21. eroskay
    Feb 15, 2013
    1
    Graphics Ok..
    Narrative Unique..
    Gameplay Zero i am surprised to see high scores from magazines and users for that game..instead of buying this game, just hand ur money to a homeless man...
  22. EtaYorius
    Oct 16, 2012
    7
    I was doubtfull about this game, but after playing it i have to say its GREAT, the great narrative and occasional wacky scenes made it worth my while, a must for all Fantasy RPG lovers.
  23. Dragzard
    Nov 1, 2012
    8
    I enjoyed the game. It has a few issues, the most noticeable one, characters mouths are not very well synced with their speech, so as they talk their mouths jitter, in a way. I was able to look past it though. The story was very enjoyable, at times I felt more like I was watching a movie, because the cut-scenes sometimes slip into one another. The dialogue felt strange at times, mostlyI enjoyed the game. It has a few issues, the most noticeable one, characters mouths are not very well synced with their speech, so as they talk their mouths jitter, in a way. I was able to look past it though. The story was very enjoyable, at times I felt more like I was watching a movie, because the cut-scenes sometimes slip into one another. The dialogue felt strange at times, mostly because of the excessive swearing. It came to show personality of the characters further into the story though. I played through the game on normal, and had a little trouble getting in tune with the combat system because of the difficulty. Actual strategy needs to be used, you can't just spam attacks. After developing strategies with fights, the system became rather enjoyable, and challenging. I recommend that you give the game a shot. From the start, you will probably know whether or not you will enjoy it.… Expand
  24. Masmun
    Mar 31, 2013
    6
    Interesting and more than decent story but the clunkyness of the controls made it difficult to play and turned me off of the game as a whole. Really wanted to like it too.
  25. Narvask
    Oct 18, 2012
    10
    Good solid game with a strong story. A nice break from the mainstream games that are becoming stale. The combat system is different and requires a bit of thought making for some careful planning against large parties of foes. Well worth a go.
  26. Ralstin
    Feb 1, 2013
    2
    This is quite honestly the worst game I have played this year. In all honesty the game is beautiful in it's design and I love the dark feel it gives off, but You CANNOT enjoy it. The fighting in this game is what made me give it a 2. If i factored it in with everything else it would be a 6 but the game's fighting took ALL of the fun out. I feel bad to because the game looked veryThis is quite honestly the worst game I have played this year. In all honesty the game is beautiful in it's design and I love the dark feel it gives off, but You CANNOT enjoy it. The fighting in this game is what made me give it a 2. If i factored it in with everything else it would be a 6 but the game's fighting took ALL of the fun out. I feel bad to because the game looked very interesting, although the way abilities chained together and how primitive the combat system was just made me smash my head of my desk. I bought this game 50% off on steam, so I also got it for my brother since he showed me it. And we are both pissed. He watched me play it and said no way am I installing that garbage. The fact of the matter is do NOT buy this game. I feel sorry saying this for the developers because I feel like they tried but the combat system is absolute GARBAGE.… Expand
  27. bramin
    Oct 14, 2012
    10
    Guys, greeting to all from Russia. I just want to say that this game is amazing. All negative reviews are from Russian guy named Biboran and his fans. They like to give negative ratings for good games. They find it funny. Just look at PS3 version of Dishonored. They are idiots. Now forget about them. Play Of Orcs and Men! Game of the month for me.
  28. Rogozin
    Oct 14, 2012
    10
    Lured to buy the game by the "1.0" metacritic user score, driven by a sudden unexplainable twinge of perverted masochism, I have to say I got really disappointed in my expectations: this is an original and entertaining game. Can't see particular flaws worth mention, only thing I can do is suggest it.
  29. Interrobang
    Jan 6, 2013
    3
    I had really high hopes for this game but I'll start with the good. The game is nice to look at and I love the setting/storyline. Now the bad, which unfortunately just crushes all my hopes and dreams. I came into it expecting a good solid hack and slash adventure where I could romp around with a huge unstoppable orc.(or sit back and have fun assassinating people with the goblin). But theI had really high hopes for this game but I'll start with the good. The game is nice to look at and I love the setting/storyline. Now the bad, which unfortunately just crushes all my hopes and dreams. I came into it expecting a good solid hack and slash adventure where I could romp around with a huge unstoppable orc.(or sit back and have fun assassinating people with the goblin). But the combat system is AWFUL!!111!!!1ONE!! You dont actually do any fighting, just queue up some moves and then stand there getting hit by enemies while you auto attack. Seriously, send some strongly worded letters to the developer and do NOT buy this game.… Expand
  30. zanz
    May 9, 2013
    6
    A very very very average game, the few good points (unusual story perspective, and err that's it) are all counterbalanced by plenty of negatives (terrible controls, horrible voice acting, bad npc models). Once in a while this game comes up for sale on steam for like $12 and for that price (it's like a meal at the food court) it's actually acceptable. Wouldn't pay a cent more though...
  31. Thanatos4x
    Sep 9, 2013
    1
    Very bad. I could not finish the game and I play lots of crappy games to conclusion. The voice acting was okay. The game is also very boring. The combat is bizarre, stupid, and gets old really fast. The developers could have done something interesting. There is a major problem in the video game industry with a lack of imagination. This game is a perfect example of that.
  32. robotott
    Oct 15, 2012
    10
    Please give this game a chance. The 205 negative reviews dont have any comments. How is that possible because I had to write 150 characters to leave a review.
  33. Stevefin
    Oct 13, 2012
    10
    Like the rest here. I am just balancing out the review from this 204 bomb show. I really doubt 204 people ranked it is the worst possible game in history without even one of them saying why it is
  34. uncast
    Feb 17, 2013
    9
    This is one of the few games recently that has got me hooked. The atmosphere and the setting is top notch (not a blatant Red vs. Blue setting), and god, the music. The music is simply amazing.

    The two main protagonists are believable and likeable, if not gritty, and their voice actors really fit them. The plot itself isn't ground breaking, but -how- the plot was unravelled was    This is one of the few games recently that has got me hooked. The atmosphere and the setting is top notch (not a blatant Red vs. Blue setting), and god, the music. The music is simply amazing.

    The two main protagonists are believable and likeable, if not gritty, and their voice actors really fit them. The plot itself isn't ground breaking, but -how- the plot was unravelled was brilliant. Arkail and Styx grow in maturity as the plot progresses, and the writers cleverly reveal the hows and whys along the way without throwing it in your face. When I finished the game, I was sad that it was actually over.

    The combat was actually rather fun, mixing tactics and action. Again it's not ground breaking, but engaging enough for you to want more.

    My opinion is that this game deserves more than it is credited for, but I tend to like these sort of games anyway. I honestly hope for more from Spiders/Cyanide, and more of the world that they have woven.    … Expand
  35. deathrow_nzl
    Nov 3, 2012
    0
    This is basically exactly the same as the game of thrones RPG when it comes to game play etc..
    The game does have amazing graphics But here is very little else going for this game..
    The combat systems is terrible, you basically just click a bunch of commands like what attacks you want to use & then wait for like a minute for your guy to finish his attacks.. If your hoping for a Action    This is basically exactly the same as the game of thrones RPG when it comes to game play etc..
    The game does have amazing graphics But here is very little else going for this game..
    The combat systems is terrible, you basically just click a bunch of commands like what attacks you want to use & then wait for like a minute for your guy to finish his attacks..
    If your hoping for a Action RPG like Fable or kingdoms of amalur you will be highly disappointed.
    Don't be fooled be the awesome screen shots in magazines & websites, this game feels like your not really playing just clicking a bunch of buttons & then sitting back waiting for your guy to finish & just watching.. while if you compare the game system to kingdoms of amalur for example that game feels like it you doing the fighting.

    Summary, Don't buy this game..    … Expand
  36. LordSithis
    Oct 14, 2012
    10
    What a bunch of trolling idiots. Trying my best to balance this out. Game looks original and it will be fun playing as the bad guys, trying to slay the filthy humans!
  37. DIngan
    Oct 14, 2012
    10
    Same as other posters, just balancing for trolling, if/when I end up getting the game I'll get back to you on what I thought. The only thing I can currently say is that the trailer looked good and if the gameplay is up to par it should be an interesting game.
  38. Shogi
    Dec 3, 2012
    9
    Why didn't they go for the obvious pun and call this The Green Revolution? Alright, serious face. I bought Of Orcs and Men in the Steam sale and was pleasantly surprised; to me it felt like a satisfying hybrid of a great buddy movie and an RPG/squad strategy. Once I'd got past the somewhat slow start and awkward camera angle the game got gradually better just about all the way through. IWhy didn't they go for the obvious pun and call this The Green Revolution? Alright, serious face. I bought Of Orcs and Men in the Steam sale and was pleasantly surprised; to me it felt like a satisfying hybrid of a great buddy movie and an RPG/squad strategy. Once I'd got past the somewhat slow start and awkward camera angle the game got gradually better just about all the way through. I finished it wanting more and with some mixed feelings - I enjoyed it a lot but it definitely has unrealised potential. Below I'll write some of my thoughts about it while avoiding spoilers.

    The game hinges on three things. First is the setting and plot, which twists the usual Forgotten Realms-ish high fantasy into something more focused and less black-and-white. OO&M's world is deftly and economically drawn from neat strokes of dialogue, pretty art and little details.

    Next is the dynamic between Arkail and Styx, the orc and goblin you play through the game with. This is critical to the game 'working' and it's done really well. The main duo are very likeable and bounce off each other well - they might not be moral exemplars but you feel for them and the situation they're in. Third is the combat engine, which is a little like a meatier version of the Infinity Engine; you slow time to a crawl in order to queue up commands for both characters from skill wheels. I feel like the combat is just short of being amazing, and needed a bit more tweaking (eg to make interrupting attacks more intuitive). But it's satisfying and engaging; firing enemies out of doors or down flights of stairs with Rain of Daggers never got old. The game has some genuinely cool moments that threw me for a loop. These were usually helped by the best bits of OO&M's inconsistent voice acting; the main duo and a couple of other characters have excellent actors (who aren't shy of changing the line a bit to make it sound more natural), while most of the rest are the usual video game standard (ie mediocre to comically bad :p). It's largely a linear game, which has positives and negatives. The plot is much stronger since it's not diluted by wandering around or having to accomodate nameless player-characters of sixteen possible elf race variants and nine 'alignments'. On the other hand, it would've been nice to be given a little chance to explore a cool setting of which you only see tantalising glimpses. Also, the choices given to you that make a difference (to gameplay or your feeling of righteousness) are some of the coolest bits, and more of them wouldn't hurt. There are other areas that could stand improvement. Some mechanics feel underdeveloped or underused - Styx's size as a movement mechanic, for instance, which is pretty much dropped early on. The awesome dynamic between Arkail and Styx and the cool setting feel a bit underexploited, though I guess it's better to finish the game wanting more than to grind through the last chapter feeling bored. In conclusion, OO&M is a bit of a breath of fresh air. D&Desque 'quasi-Europeans butcher thousands of Always Chaotic Evil humanoids without a second thought' high fantasy is ridiculously tired and stale. This game is a great step towards freshening the genre up and adding a bit of philosophical depth to it. Because of that, and because I just enjoyed it as a buddy-movie blast with an unusual and cool pair of buddies, I can forgive it its problems. If I were using a proper 0-100 scale where 50 is 'average', I'd give it about 82%. Since our review scale is so skewed by corruption, user review bombing and 'publisher over my shoulder', though, I'm giving it 9 out of 10.    … Expand
  39. AthanasiosT
    Mar 5, 2013
    8
    Great action fantasy game, with a nice script twist, where you get to play the "greenskins" against the really bad humans. Graphics are good, sound is a bit boring, gameplay and action is original with a slo-mo time frame where you get to select different actions which play on real time afterwards. The main characters are developing RPG-style abilities, which at the end of the game makeGreat action fantasy game, with a nice script twist, where you get to play the "greenskins" against the really bad humans. Graphics are good, sound is a bit boring, gameplay and action is original with a slo-mo time frame where you get to select different actions which play on real time afterwards. The main characters are developing RPG-style abilities, which at the end of the game make them really strong and cool to play.… Expand
  40. Lordsweapon
    Oct 16, 2012
    10
    Refreshing, solid and a nice break from the generic RPG storyline of human Good - Orc Bad... voice acting is killer with the well written script and as another reviewer stated combat is a lot like Dragon Age which is much to my liking, money well spent, looking forward to future title DLC's
  41. Dreadzilla
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    If you liked Dragon Age, this game is for you. Finally a game that uses a new graphics engine. I was devastated when GW2 came out and it looked like a ten year old game. Games should use cutting edge graphics and sound and that just has not been happening lately. This game brings you both and a strong story and enthralling gameplay. 8.5 out of ten.
  42. Matseb2611
    Mar 14, 2015
    9
    I've had a blast playing through this game, and it's so extremely rare these days for any game to hold my attention for more than an hour. The story was pretty decent, dialogue was fantastic, and I was really attached to both of the main protagonists, since they were very likeable and relatable, despite being of otherworldly descent. Just be warned, there is quite a bit of swearing in theI've had a blast playing through this game, and it's so extremely rare these days for any game to hold my attention for more than an hour. The story was pretty decent, dialogue was fantastic, and I was really attached to both of the main protagonists, since they were very likeable and relatable, despite being of otherworldly descent. Just be warned, there is quite a bit of swearing in the dialogue, but I thought the way it was done was creative. The whole narrative in this game is top notch.

    The combat system was fun and strategic, and the battles in general are quite challenging. Since this combat system is quite different to most RPGs, I'd personally suggest to play on Easy mode on the first playthrough, so to get acquainted with it.

    The game is quite linear. Most of its levels do tend to be a straight line, which will not appeal to players who like exploration, but I personally didn't mind the linear gameplay, because I enjoyed the story and the gameplay. In addition, you get a lot of sidequests in between. I was particularly impressed with a part of the game where you get to put together a squad and a plan of attack, and each little sidequest in that section actually counted towards it, which made them worth doing.

    Also worthy of note is the music. It was lovely to listen to and fit the scenes where it played perfectly.

    Overall I loved the game and I think it's very underappreciated. Would definitely recommend it and hope to see more games like this one from the devs behind it. I am not trying to balance out negative scores with mine. I just genuinely enjoyed the game. It has some problems and issues, but the overall experience was not hindered for me.    … Expand
  43. SuperkenGaming
    Feb 6, 2017
    7
    Of Orcs and Men…
    Thankfully its interesting…
    Of Orcs and Men is an action RPG game about the struggle between Orcs and men… Its humans vs green skins… Here you play as 2 characters… Arkail who is a warrior brute from the legendary Bloodjaws as well as his Goblin companion Styx who offers ranged and stealth gameplay who’s job is to help Arkail get to where he needs to go on his mission    Of Orcs and Men…
    Thankfully its interesting…
    Of Orcs and Men is an action RPG game about the struggle between Orcs and men…
    Its humans vs green skins…
    Here you play as 2 characters…
    Arkail who is a warrior brute from the legendary Bloodjaws as well as his Goblin companion Styx who offers ranged and stealth gameplay who’s job is to help Arkail get to where he needs to go on his mission to kill the emperor and change the course of the war…
    The story and characters are the best part of the game…
    I laughed out loud numerous times thanks to the loudmouth Styx having no filters when talking to Arkail and other characters.. And the story is full of twists and turns that this 12 hour game is genuinely enjoyable and surprising…
    You even get to make choices to change minor story outcomes
    and the level design here is great...
    This is a very linear game... but areas feel open and theyre crawling with enemies and equipment…
    Where the game is held back though is its combat itself…
    Here you can play as either Styx or Arkail... and you can switch back and forth instantaneously…
    Styx, who was my favorite to play as can go into stealth mode and clear some or all of the enemies out before progressing to prevent as few combat situations as possible which is ideal..
    Because the combat is just no fun...
    Basically both characters are on autopilot…
    You put attacks in their commands list from different fighting stances and let them do their thing...
    you really don’t even have to touch the controller until late in the game if you don’t want to…
    because of this put in commands combat system, you never truly feel in control…
    You don’t feel like you’re using strategy to win...
    just that youre desperately running around with styx throwing knives and healing Arkail so you don’t have to start again... neither of the 2 have strategy programmed into them… if you leave styx he automatically goes into close range when he has considerably less health than arkail… so hell die almost instantly…
    Its almost like you really have no choice but to use him
    In some instances youll get into fights after messing up a stealth kill or being seen and arkail is just standing there looking at you instead of running to help…
    As you do complete battles youll level up so you can balance the characters in areas theyre weak or make them stronger in areas there already strong in.. So the juggling act isn’t as annoying…
    And you can unlock new skills and upgrade them with a choice of a perk to suit your gameplay style…
    but it’s a bad sign when playing your game is the worst part of your game...
    its an alright time and worth experiencing..
    Especially for the story, level design, and being introduced to these characters…
    It’s just rough to get through…
    I give of Orcs and Men
    A 6.5/10    … Expand
  44. Voyou
    May 26, 2021
    4
    Would be nice if it behaved like a game and let us play a little. 5 minutes of cut-scenes, 20 seconds of control, 5 minutes of cut-scenes, rinse and repeat... When I want a movie, I go to the cinema, I don't launch a game that doesn't know its role.
  45. ComandanteCobra
    Jan 6, 2016
    8
    (English and Italian Review)
    Hi, give this game a try, it may surprise you.
    It has his flaw but the protagonists are really fun (styx the goblin above all), the background story of the game world is somewhat original (classic fantasy world from an greenskin point of view) and the fighting sequence is a good mix of strategy and action. Just surpass the initial impact the game give you    (English and Italian Review)
    Hi, give this game a try, it may surprise you.
    It has his flaw but the protagonists are really fun (styx the goblin above all), the background story of the game world is somewhat original (classic fantasy world from an greenskin point of view) and the fighting sequence is a good mix of strategy and action.
    Just surpass the initial impact the game give you and play it...you'll be intrigued by his atmosphere.
    I recommend this game especially if you are an old gamer like me (from Commodore 64 to modern Pc); Nowadays you can also find it quite cheap. Will follow cyanide in the future.

    Ciao, date a questo gioco una possibilità. Ha i suoi difetti certo (probabilmente per mancanza di budget) ma la storia è interessante, i protagonisti spassosi (Styx tra tutti). Se siete dei giocatori di vecchia data come me, potete sorvolare qualche difetto (poca esplorazione, pochi nemici, nessuna sequenza a filmati) ed "affezionarvi" ai protagonisti. Ottimo il doppiaggio, linguaggio adulto senza fanservice.
    Consigliato a chi è interessato ad Orchi e Goblin.... specialmente ora che si trova nei negozi (e su Steam) a prezzi ragionevoli sotto le venti euro.    … Expand
  46. orknobnoobmagic
    Jan 31, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Åbn wp-admin/install.php i din browser. Du vil derefter blive hjulpet gennem processen, der vil klargøre wp-config.php filen med oplysningerne vedr. forbindelsen til din database.
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    Du forventede måske mere? Desværre, det er det hele!
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    MySQL version 5.0 eller højere.
    Minimums anbefalinger

    mod_rewrite Apache modulet.
    Et link til http://wordpress.org på din side.
    Online ressourcer

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    The Development Blog
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    Hvis du har søgt overalt, men stadig ikke fundet svarene på dine spørgsmål, kan du med fordel benytte dig af forumet. WordPress' forum har mange aktive brugere, som er klar til at hjælpe. For at hjælpe dem til at hjælpe dig, bør du finde en meget præcis titel til dit indlæg og beskrive dit problem så udførligt som muligt.
    WordPress DK
    Hvis du hellere vil tage snakken på dansk, kan du kigge forbi den danske WordPress-side. Der er ikke så mange til at hjælpe som på den engelske side, men det foregår på dansk og med andre, der bruger den danske version! WordPress IRC Channel Til sidst er der en online chat-kanal, som bliver brugt til diskussioner mellem WordPress-brugere - og nogle gange bliver der også snakket om diverse support-emner. Den ovenstående wiki burde føre dig på rette vej (irc.freenode.net #wordpresss). XML-RPC and Atom-interface Du kan nu skrive indlæg til din WordPress-blog med værktøjer som Windows Live Writer, Ecto, Bloggar, Radio Userland (det vil sige, at du kan bruge Radios e-mail-til-blog-mulighed), NewzCrawler og andre værktøjer, der understøtter Blogging API'erne! :) Du kan læse mere om XML-RPC-support i codexet. Skriv via e-mail Du kan skrive indlæg fra en e-mail-klient! Opsætningen er rimelig simpel. Gå til "Skrivning" under menupunktet "Indstillinger" og udfyld detaljerne for din hemmelige pop3-konto. Derefter skal du opsætte wp-mail.php til jævnligt at tjekke din e-mail-konto for nye indlæg. Du kan gøre det med cron-jobs, eller hvis din host ikke understøtter det, kan du kigge på de mange forskellige website-monitoring services, og få dem til at tjekke din wp-mail.php-URL. Det er nemt: Enhver e-mail, der bliver sendt til den adresse, du angiver, vil blive bragt som et indlæg i din blog med e-mailens emne som titel. Derfor er det bedst at holde e-mail-adressen hemmelig. Scriptet vil slette e-mails, der bliver udgivet på bloggen. Brugerroller Vi har droppet brugerniveauer for i stedet at benytte det meget mere fleksible system med roller, som introduceredes in 2.0. Du kan læse mere om roller i WordPress Codex. Afsluttende bemærkninger Hvis du har foreslag, idéer, kommentarer eller hvis du (glup!) har fundet en bug, kan du tilslutte dig vores Supportforum WordPress har et robust plugin API, som gør det nemt at tilføje kode. Hvis du er en udvikler, der er interesseret i at gøre brug af dette, kan du kigge i plugin-dokumentationen i vores Codex. I de fleste tilfælde vil det ikke være nødvendigt at lave om på kernen af WordPress. Spred kærligheden    … Expand
  47. paulrazor
    Mar 29, 2016
    8
    I found this game quite enjoyable when i was playing it a few years ago and I still remember it that alone speaks volumes. Now this game might not be the most polished game ever released and combat might not be perfect or anywhere near perfect but story was decent and compelling enough to make you stick until the end and lastly voice acting was amazing.
  48. Panica3643D
    Jun 16, 2018
    7
    Неплохая игра, в которой есть как много достоинств, так и недостатков. Механика боёв понравилась, как и сама история. А вот RPG составляющая тут хромает на обе ноги (как и во всех играх от Spiders).
  49. Mobile
    Jan 16, 2018
    6
    ENG
    I would call this game Stiks and people or Styx and his adventures. As the character pulls the entire game. If taken as a whole, it is more interesting to listen to play for him, run in stealth mode and in General this character is so intact. But with regard to his companion Arcila, on the contrary, he is a complete zero in boevka with idiotic rage mode, which is not only annoying, it    ENG
    I would call this game Stiks and people or Styx and his adventures. As the character pulls the entire game. If taken as a whole, it is more interesting to listen to play for him, run in stealth mode and in General this character is so intact. But with regard to his companion Arcila, on the contrary, he is a complete zero in boevka with idiotic rage mode, which is not only annoying, it prevents (especially in the beginning), and just looks silly. I'm somewhere to the middle of the game thought that will turn out to make him a tank, a walking threat, but all the even. Interesting and really useful skills from him, not even the Styx, one-on-one against Orc and it will come faster than winner. Now about the game itself: the most I have in these games is annoying tactical battles (or elements pause) , although in this game they fit, at least in the beginning, don't think so, the main claim to developers is the number of waves of enemies that silly spawned throughout the game, especially at the end, well, just with the surplus. In General, not to say that the game is tight, if you play on easy then you can pass for 7-9 hours, a lot of chatter, but the benefit is a function of the skip. And lastly I want to mention that starting with 3 chapters in the game you can see it is not a bad place, and even be called beautiful, not just corridor location underground or in the sewers. Hosted the game for a week, than it got me hooked and I wanted it back, so that is commendable.
    RU
    Я бы назвал эту игру Стикс и люди или Стикс и его приключения. Так как данный персонаж вытягивает всю игру. Если брать в целом, то его интересней слушать играть за него, бегать в стелс режиме да и в целом этот персонаж получился целым. А вот, что касается его спутника Аркаила, то здесь все наоборот, он полный ноль в боевке с идиотским режимом ярости, которая не только раздражает, мешает (особенно в начале), так и просто глупо выглядит. Я где то до середины игры думал, что получится из него сделать танка, ходячую угрозу, но все четно. Интересных и действительно полезных навыков у него нет, даже Стикс один на один против орка и то выйдет быстрее победителем. Теперь про саму игру: больше всего у меня в таких играх напрягает тактические бои (ну или элементы паузы) , хотя в эту игру они вписались, хоть по началу так не кажется, главная претензия к разработчикам, так это количество волн противников, которые глупо спавнят на протяжении всей игры, особенно в конце, ну прям с излишком. В целом не скажу что игра затянута, если играть на легком то вообще можно пройти часов за 7-9, много болтовни, но благо есть функция скипа. И на последок хочу отметить то, что начиная с 3 главы в игре можно увидеть вполне не плохие места и даже назвать красивыми, а не просто коридорные локации под землей или в канализации. Прошел игру за неделю, чем то она меня зацепила и мне хотелось в нее вернутся, так что похвально.    … Expand
  50. Mpbpl
    May 3, 2021
    7
    I am recommending it yes, but with a warning. Final boss fight is luck based and with a safe strategy unwinnable.
    With that out of the way, I can safely understand why the Styx series continued on, the setting of the game is a not so new but different take on the orcs, elves, dwarves and men fantasy trope. But what really takes the cake is the characters but specially Styx and Arkhail.    I am recommending it yes, but with a warning. Final boss fight is luck based and with a safe strategy unwinnable.
    With that out of the way, I can safely understand why the Styx series continued on, the setting of the game is a not so new but different take on the orcs, elves, dwarves and men fantasy trope. But what really takes the cake is the characters but specially Styx and Arkhail. Both of them steal the show and since they are the main characters you are never not engaged on what will happen. The story had some cool twists and some predictable ones too but overall very enjoyable.
    The music and sound effects are nice but not at all special aside for a few ones here and there, the graphics are great for the time period. To maintain graphics like that, the design of stages is extremely linear to a detriment.
    The combat is the only thing that is a pure negative, not a true turn base system, not a only action base one, is a mish mash and nobody is satisfied... a lot of the fights are luck based depending on your build so dont buy it if you can't digest it and enjoy everything else.    … Expand
  51. Kingdomhear
    Oct 23, 2019
    10
    Fantastico e ottimi personaggi
    Ottime musiche e ambientazioni !!! Veramente divertente
  52. Nick7000
    Mar 9, 2023
    7
    Крайне необычная игра,во многих моментах очень спорная, но все же оставила, скорее, приятные впечатления.

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
90
#90 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    72
    An interesting experiment of an “intellectual” action game, with unique protagonists, a story with strokes of magnificence and dilemmas. Alas, its launch is badly-timed (many blockbusters around this time of year). Of Orcs and Men is not for everyone, but at least all fantasy fans should have a peek. [December 2012]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 30, 2012
    60
    Action adventures with orc and goblin in leading roles aren't too usual. Unfortunately, there is not much to offer – gameplay is flat and eye-catching visuals can't save it all. [Dec 2012]
  3. GameSpot
    Nov 13, 2012
    70
    Of Orcs and Men's few design issues don't prevent it from being a fun, table-turning take on the age-old conflict.
    Read full review
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